Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 111
Rotary club project to recognize Verona, Oakmont families with American flags
The Rotary Club of Oakmont-Verona plans to give residents of the twin boroughs an opportunity to commend or remember others with a bevy of American flags. “It’s a way to honor the people of the community and brings recognition to the community,” said Rotary past president Don Stoner. “It helps...
Verona Council president Pat McCarthy has resigned, letters of interest accepted
Verona Council President Pat McCarthy has resigned. Council accepted his resignation at Tuesday night’s meeting. “It was a shock to everybody,” said Mayor Dave Ricupero, a one-time political opponent of McCarthy. “He stated it was for health problems and I just wish him the best. Family and health are most...
Brookline woman’s death ruled accidental in February 2020 fire
The death of a Bookline woman found dead inside a home last Feburary has been ruled an accident, according to an Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office report released Thursday. Officials said Melanie Hesser, 57, died of thermal and inhalation injuries sustained as a result of a fire along the 200...
Pittsburgh officials approve new 5-year deal with crossing guards
Pittsburgh officials announced Wednesday they have finalized a new deal with their crossing guards. The five-year contract was negotiated with the Service Employees International Union 192B. Mayor Bill Peduto said via news release that the deal is good for both parties. “We are excited to have reached this agreement with...
Plum approves advisory committee to help establish agriculture security areas
Plum officials have moved one step closer to establishing Agriculture Security Areas (ASAs) in the borough. Council unanimously voted Jan. 11 to form an advisory committee with Vice President Dave Vento as its chair. Vento will work with council President Dave Odom to fill the other committee seats, which must...
Penn Hills School District has a new plan to bring students back 4 days a week
Penn Hills School District officials have a new plan to bring students back into the district’s schools four days a week. Superintendent Nancy Hines said they hope to welcome first grade, middle-schoolers, juniors and seniors back Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays starting Feb. 16. All students would learn online Wednesdays...
Pleasant Hills property owners to pay more in real estate taxes due to garbage collection
Pleasant Hills property owners will pay more in real estate taxes this year. Council recently passed its 2021 spending plan with a one-mill tax hike. The new tax rate is 7.75 mills. The median home value in the borough is about $143,500, which means that property owner will pay about...
Sewickley has a new mayor, George Shannon
Sewickley has a new mayor. George Shannon was appointed by council Tuesday night to fill the seat vacated by Brian Jeffe, who resigned as mayor last month. His term is set to expire at the end of this year. Shannon would have to run in the upcoming municipal election if...
Rankin man’s death by train last year ruled accidental
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Tuesday that the death of a man hit by a train in Swissvale last year was accidental. Walter Gunter, 45, of Rankin died as a result of injuries sustained from the accident around 5 p.m. Jan. 6, 2020 near the corner of South...
Jefferson Hills Council votes to distribute fire tax funds, fails to recertify Gill Hall VFC
Gill Hall Volunteer Fire Co. in Jefferson Hills remains off dispatch as council once again declined to formally recognize the department. Motions to recertify Gill Hall and rescind a resolution naming Jefferson Hills Fire Rescue the sole borough company failed by a 2-5 vote Monday night. However, officials did agree...
Plum Council voting meetings to be livestreamed on YouTube later this year
Plum officials are considering livestreaming council voting meetings via the borough’s YouTube channel. Several officials are enthusiastic about the idea, but at least one councilman said council has not discussed it. Voting meetings are held at the borough building at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of the month. The...
Verona group selects spot for community garden; survey out for public input
A community garden project might soon take root in Verona. Borough Parks and Recreation board members have selected a location and have applied to acquire it through the Allegheny County Vacant Property Recovery program. The area in question is a 25-by-140-foot lot at 851 Second St. Board member Rhea Homa...
Police: Man arrives at Pittsburgh hospital shot in the elbow
Pittsburgh police are investigating a shooting after a man showed up to a hospital with a gunshot wound to his elbow. Public Safety spokeswoman Cara Cruz said officers responded to a 911 call shortly before 8:45 p.m. Thursday reporting possible gunshots along the 3600 block of Perrysville Avenue. Cruz said...
Pittsburgh police: Help needed to find missing man with mental health issues
Pittsburgh police seek public help to find a missing man with mental health issues. Marco Anthony Zingrone, 25, was last seen along the 200 block of Ninth Street at 10 a.m. on Dec. 30, Public Safety spokeswoman Cara Cruz reported Thursday. He is described as a white man standing 5...
Plum woman rescued from her burning home by police and neighbor
A 77-year-old Plum woman was taken to a hospital for evaluation Thursday afternoon after being rescued from her burning home by her neighbor and borough police. Resident Butch Bankert said he was going back and forth between his house and shed along the 200 block of Frontenac Road when he...
Plum School District recognized by Google for its strides in educational technology
Plum School District was recently recognized for its use of technology to benefit its students’ education. It was named a Google for Education Reference District, which is a distinction held by schools that demonstrate excellence and leadership through use of Google products, such as G Suite for Education and Chromebooks,...
Oakmont resident Carrie Lewis DelRosso sworn in to 33rd District state House seat
Former Oakmont Councilwoman Carrie Lewis DelRosso was recently sworn in to her state House seat. The Republican challenger defeated the Democratic incumbent, House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, in the November election. DelRosso, R-Allegheny/Westmoreland, represents the 33rd District. “The seriousness of the work I have been given to accomplish for residents...
Verona’s farmer’s market seeks more vendors for the upcoming season
It is a new year and new opportunities for new vendors interested in the Verona farmer’s market. Coordinator Stefani Garibay said plans are underway for the upcoming season with the goal of adding more participants. “With the year evolving the way it has been, and the plans for vaccinations to...
PennDOT postpones Route 28 project until next week due to weather
PennDOT officials said cold weather will delay a Route 28 project designed to add lanes and improve safety near the Highland Park Bridge. Preparatory work such as painting lines and sign installation along the main thoroughfare was expected to begin Wednesday. Officials said those efforts, and subsequent single-lane restrictions, have...
Man took puppy while owner was walking the dog in Frick Park, police say
A four-month-old dog was taken from its owner while they were walking Tuesday night in Frick Park, Pittsburgh police said. Daphne, a 4-month-old mixed breed with black and white fur, was reported stolen shortly before 6 p.m. Tuesday along the 2000 block of Beechwood Boulevard in Squirrel Hill, according to...
New 12-unit housing development proposed in Oakmont with some homes over $1 million
A new housing plan has been proposed in Oakmont with some properties expected to cost more than $1 million. Oakmont Place, a 12-unit one-floor patio home development off Hulton Road by Eleventh Street, was introduced to council at Tuesday night’s workshop meeting. Landscape architect Steven Victor of Victor-Wetzel Associates and...
Plum Community Library has a new director, online programs
Plum Community Library enters the new year with a new director and more virtual programming. Pam Calfo of Pittsburgh’s North Side has taken over for Marilyn Klingensmith, who retired as director little more than a month ago. Calfo was welcomed to the library in November and formally took the reins...
New geocaching game on Rachel Carson Trail encourages family hikes
A Pine Township family’s hiking experience has inspired a new game to get other families out on the Rachel Carson Trail. Brian Vernon needed to get out of the house after working from home for months on end and helping his daughter, Lorelei, and son, Riley, learn during the covid...
Body found under the Birmingham Bridge
Pittsburgh police are investigating the discovery of a body under the Birmingham Bridge. Public Safety spokesperson Cara Cruz said officers responded to a call for a deceased man on some rocks between Forbes and Second avenues shortly before 4:30 p.m. Monday. Major Crimes and the Crime Scene Unit processed the...
Verona’s yellow brick road to be paved
Bricks that have lined First Street in Verona for decades will become a thing of the past as borough officials plan to have the deteriorating roadway paved this year. “It’s one of the major roadways of Verona that traverses across the hills and not up and down,” borough Engineer Matt...
